Gymnanthemum Cass., Bull. Sci. Soc. Philom. Paris 1817:10. 1817.

33 species

Gymnanthemum amygdalinum (Delile) Sch. Bip. in W. G. Walpers, Repert. Bot. Syst. 2: 948. 1843; Vernonia amygdalina Delile, Cent. Pl. Afr. Voy. Meroe 41. 1826.

Shrubs, ca. 2 m tall. Branches terete, striate, densely tomentose, especially when young. Leaves cauline, alternate, exstipulate, simple; petiole ca. 1.5 cm long, densely pubescent; leaf blade 8-10 cm x 4-4.5 cm, coriaceous, abaxially densely puberulent, adaxially dark green, glabrescent, apex acute to acuminate, base cuneate, margin serrulate, serrations glandular, lateral veins 5-7 pairs, veins abaxially raised. Synflorescences usually terminal panicles with many lax or dense capitula. Capitula 1.5-1.8 cm long and across; peduncles 6-8 mm long, densely pubescent. Involucre +/- cylindric or bowl-shaped, 4-5 mm x 3-4 mm; phyllaries 20+, 4-5-seriate, imbricate, pale-green, leathery, concave, ovate-oblong, puberulent, margin membranous, apex obtuse, outermost very short, ovate, 1.5-2 mm long, inner ovate- oblong, 3-4 mm x ca. 2 mm. Receptacle small, epaleate, naked, foveolate. All florets discoid, white, 9-11 (-17), 1.5-1.8 mm long, bisexual, actinomorphic, epigynous. Corolla 7-8 mm long, tube ca. 2 mm long, equal to or slightly shorter than tubular/ funnelform throat, lobes 5, 2.5-3 mm long, lanceolate, white; tube and throat glandular-puberulent without. Ovary obcylindric, ca. 2 mm long, pubescent, weakly ribbed; style 6 mm long, 2-branched, branches linear, pubescent on outer side, unbranched part of style pubescent when young. Cypselae oblong-cylindric, ca. 4 mm long, ribbed, ribs pubescent. Pappus 2-seriate, dirty white, scabrid; outer setae/ bristles few and shorter, 1-2 mm long, inner setae 6-7 mm long.

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